April10, 2014

Washington D.C. – Rep. Eliot Engel, the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement on today’s United Nations Security Council vote authorizing a peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

“I commend the United Nations Security Council for approving today a peacekeeping mission for the Central African Republic. As the situation deteriorates it is up to the international community to provide more sustained, reliable support to the African Union and French forces as they work to stabilize a nation destroyed by unchecked hatred and rampant brutality. This new UN mission will offer that, as well as greater support for reconciliation across the country.

“Despite this welcome news, we must remember that a UN mission will not deploy for at least 6 months, and it is not the solution to all of the country’s problems. The targeted killings of innocent civilians on the basis of perceived religion or nationality must be stopped immediately and the government must provide critical services to a population in need. I urge all of the countries which made pledges of support to the Central African Republic in December of 2013 to fulfill those pledges. That funding is urgently needed to halt widespread killings and help a devastated population recover from the trauma it has been enduring. This vote is a positive step, but just one piece of the broader effort to end the horrific violence in the Central African Republic.”